Water supply regulator



Aug. 30, 1932. 1.. M PERSONS 1,874,611

WATER SUPPLY REGULATOR Filed April 10, 1931 llllnlllilln Inventor L. M. Persons Att'y.

I thermostatically wholly satisfactory both of mechanical construction and reliability of l Patented Aug. 30, 19 322 7 LAWRENCE M. PERSONS, OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS WATER sUrrLY REGULATOR Application filed A r-n10,

It is now recognized as desirable to provide hot air furnaces with a humidifier to supply moisture to the heated air before delivery to the distributing system instead of depending upon individual evaporating pans at the points of discharge, which individual pans areoften neglected with resulting abnormally dry air supply. When such furnace humidifiers are used, it is desirable to provide a controlled drip water supply regulator to automatically govern the flow of water thereto. Up to the present time, as far as I am aware, no such drip Water supply regulator has been devised which is from the standpoint operation. v

It is the object of my invention to provide a drip water supplyregulator which will be both simple in construction and reliablein operation and which will not supply an excessive amount of water when abnormally heated, nor injure the valve mechanism when abnormally cooled. V

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one form of drip watersupply regulator made in accordance with my invention, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section on an enlarged scale; Figure 2 is a cross section taken on the lines 2 2 of Figure l; and Figure 3 is a side view on a reduced scale.

The body of the device consists of a cylindrical casing or barrel 1 provided with a flange 2 having bolt or screw holes 3 by means r Y of which it is secured to a wall of the furnace. Threaded into the inner an aluminum sleeve 4 adapted to project through the wall into the furnace. The inner end of the sleeve is closed by a screw plug 5 having a threaded central opening to receive the inner end of a steel rod 6 which, after being properly adjusted, is secured against movement by a lockrnut 7. As the materials of the sleeve and the rod have different coeflicients of expansion, these parts form the elements of athermostatic couple the relative response of which to changes in temperature govern the valve mechanism of the device.

The rod is supported near its outer end by a guide 8 and its end-face bearsagainst one 'ing a central the plug in adjusted p port so as to V under pressure,

end of thebarrel is 1931. SerialNo. 529,107.

shoulder 29 adapted tostrike against the end of the sleeve 4:- and thus determine the maximum opening of the valve. This maximum opening may be regulated by adjusting the rod longitudinally in the plug 5 so that the shoulder 29 will be a greater or less distance from the sleeve when the parts are at normal T temperature. The opposite end of the valve member is in the form of an annulus 1O havwater port-11 and the face of which forms a valve seat cooperating with a resilient washer 12 surrounding a pin 13 car-j ied by a plug 14 threaded into the outer end of the barrel. A lock nut 15 serves to hold osition. Pin 13 proj ects beyond the washer 12 and enters the port 11. It is, however, slightly smaller than the. i provide a space forming part of assage through the device. The which embraces the outer edge of the water p flange 16,

i the washer 12, projects beyond the washer and is of somewhat larger diameter than the plug in order to form a second annular water pas sage. The object of extending the pin and flange beyond the face of the washer is to provide retaining walls to prevent displace ment of any of the material of the Washer. and to provide means for" guiding the valve member in addition to its engagement with the tube 4.

Port 11 communicates with a supply nipple 1'? which is threaded into the valve member. and projects through an elongated opening 18 in the barrel. This nipple is connected by a union 19 with a pipe 20 leading to. the water supply. WVhen thewater pressure is suiiicient it may be depended upon to force the valve member away from its seat when permitted to move by retraction of the rod 6, but I prefer to place a coil spring 21 between the end of the plug 14 and a shoulder on thevalve memher to insure prompt movement of the latter under all conditions of water pressure. Depending from the barrel is a discharge tube 22 provided with sight openings 23. This tube communicates with the interior of the barrel through a restricted passage 24, the

as to. open the abnormal orward movement of thevalve lower end of which is surrounded by a lip 25 to insure the dripping of the water centrally through the tube past the sight openin s instead of running down the walls of the B tu e. The end of the tube has threaded into it a discharge nipple 26 connected b a union 27 to apipe QSleading to the humi 'fier pan in or adjacent to the furnace.

In the operation of the device, when the fur: nace is cold the end of the annuluslQ will bear against the washer 12, thus preventing the passage of water through the device. Theexact temperature at which the water flow is cut off is determined by the adjustment of the ugls. When the thermostatic couple is heated the rod .6 will be retracted, allowing the valve to open so that water may pass through the valve into the barrel. and thence through discharge tube 22 to pipe 28 leading to the humidifier. As the water drips past the sight openings 23 the operation of the device is at all times under inspection; As soonas the shoulder 29 strikes the. sleeve 4 themaximum flow is reached so thatfurther retraction of the rod 4 does notfurther increase the flow, thus flooding of the device under abnormally high temperature is avoided. This. desirable result is due to the fact thatrthe thermostatic element is so arranged the valve under increase of temperature instead of closing it under such conditioni, as is the usual practice; and to the furthen fact thattlie rod of the. thermostat is not mttach ed to the valve member'but is capable of movement away from it after it is stoppe the tube. In case the device is. subjected to unusuallylow temperature the resilient washer. will be com ressed, thus compensating for -member without injury to the parts. The compression 'of'the washer'lis'possible due to the fact that being, both internally andjex- 'siderable. thickness and of quite resilient, ma-

terial and yet perform the function without 7 liability of permanent distortion by theaction of thevalve.

Having fully described my invention, what Iv claim as new and desire to secure by LettersPatent of the United- States is:

1. Ina device ofthe class described, the 7 combination with a casing, of a valve member movable longitudinally in said casing, a

one element of a the thermostatic against one end of said valve member but i capable of retractilemovement independent ly thereof, meansfor adjusting said rod longitudinally, anadjustable member carrying a valve seat co-operatmg with the other end of valve member to check the flow of water I 'through the device, and a stop for limiting 1 through the by contact of the shoulder 29, withthecend of plugin said: casin vseat cooperatingnwl-th'said valve memberto open an ternall'y supported it may be made, of conteasing.

municates with, said supp sleeve carried by said casing and forming thermostatic couple, a rod I insaidsleeve forming the other element of couple, said, rod bearing the movement of said valve member "away from the valve seat to determine the maximum flow of water through the device.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a casing, of a valve member in said casing, thermostatic means for actuating saidlmember, a supply nipple carriedby said valve member and projecting through the wall of the casing, said nipple capable of moving with the member relative to the casing, a port in the valve immbeacommunicating with the interior of the casing, a valve seat cooperating with the valve-member tor open and close said port, and a dischargepassage leading from the interior of'the-casing,

'3. In a device of theclass described,the combination with a casing, of a valve member in said casing,jthermostatic means for actuating said member, a supply nipple carried by said valve member and projecting through thewall of the casing, said nipple being capable of'moving with the member relative to the casing, a port in the valve member communicatingwith the interior of? the casing, a compressible valve seat cooperating with the valve member to open and close saidport, and'a discharge passage leading Vfrom'the interior. of the casing.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a casing, of a valve member in said casing, thermostatic means for actuating said member, a supply nipple] car'- ried by said valve member and projecting wallof the casing, said nip le being, capable of moving with the member relative to the casing, said valve member being provided with a port communicating with the interior of the casing, an adjustable g provided with a. valve close said port, and a discharge passage leading from, the interior. of the 5. Ina device of the class described, the combination with avalve casing,of a valve member insaidcasingand provided with a supply passage, thermostatic means for actuating said member, said member having an annulus, the central op'eningofwhich com-' y passage and through a port'with the interior ofthe casing, an ad ustable plug in said casing, said plug being provided'with a valve seat cooperating with said annulus to open and close said port," and a discharge tube communicatingv with theinterior of'the casing,v said'tube'being provided with a sight opening; I

'6. In a device of he class described, the combination with a casing, ofa valve mom ber in said casing,lthermostatic means for actuating said member, a, supply nipplecar- 7 ried' by said member and projecting through the wallof the casing, said nipple beingcapas ble of'inovement with the member relative to m the casing, said member having an annulus the central opening of which communicates with said supply nipple and through a port with the interior of the casing, an adjustable plug in said casing, said plug being provided with a valve seat cooperating with said annulus to open and close said port, and a discharge tube communicating With the interior of the casing, said tube being provided with a sight opening.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with a casing, of a valve member in said casing, a sleeve carried by said casing and forming one element of a thermostatic couple, a rod in said sleeve forming the other element of the thermostatic couple, said rod actuating said valve member but capable of retractile movement independently thereof, means for adjusting said rod longitudinally, a supply nipple carried by said Valve member and projecting through the casing, said nipple communicating with the interior of the casing through the valve face of the valve member, an adjustable member having a valve seat cooperating With said valve face, and a discharge tube leading from the interior of the casing and provided with a sight opening.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature, this 7th day of April, 1931.

LAWRENCE M. PERSONS. 

